regardless of whether he is well groomed or ready. that's the reason they need a regent. >> warner: barbara, is there no rival power center? in other words, the fact that the son was given military appointments? does that mean the military is behind this and the elites are behind this? >> i hate to say this on television but i don't know. >> warner: that's very refreshing. >> i don't think we know. is there an internal power struggle? very possibly. yes. if i were in the military, i don't know that i would be so happy about a 27-year-old leader-son. >> warner: you've done a lot of reporting based on north korean sectors. it's fair to say if he takes over any time soon he's going to inherit a country in far worse shape than his father inherited? >> the country was in bad shape when his father inherited it. but the leadership was still in good shape. people really loved kim il song, even defectors i talked to have reverence for him. kim jong il has never been that popular. years now of famine and deprivation, people, i don't think, beli